The present invention relates to a swash plate for a compressor.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-199327 discloses pistons for a swash plate type compressor. The pistons reciprocate in accordance with the rotation of a swash plate, which rotates integrally with a drive shaft. Each piston is coupled to the peripheral portion of the swash plate through a pair of shoes. The rotation of the swash plate is converted to the reciprocation of the pistons by the shoes.
The pair of shoes is made of metal material (for example, iron-based material) that is the same material as used for the swash plate. A lubricating coating made of copper-based material is applied to the swash plate surface that contacts the pair of shoes so that the shoes smoothly slides on the swash plate and the seizure is prevented from occurring between the pair of shoes and the swash plate. It is also proposed to add lead in the copper-based material so that the shoes further smoothly slides on the swash plate.
As the concern over the environmental problems has increased, it is desired to use materials that minimize adverse environmental effect in lubricating coatings.
The objective of the present invention is to provide a swash plate for a compressor that includes minimum amount of lead while permitting shoes to reliably slide with respect to the swash plate.
To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention provides a swash plate for a compressor, which includes a piston coupled to the swash plate through a pair of shoes. The swash plate rotates integrally with a drive shaft. The shoes slide on the piston and the swash plate. The shoes convert the rotation of the swash plate to the reciprocation of the piston. A lubricating coating made of copper-based material is formed on part of the swash plate along which the shoes slide. The copper-based material includes silicon.
The present invention also provides a manufacturing method of a swash plate for a compressor. The method includes forming a lubricating coating made of copper-based material including silicon at part of the swash plate along which a shoe slides.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.